A Topaz Ranch Estates man who held off Douglas County Sheriff's deputies with a handgun and a shotgun until an officer tackled him is to appear in court Wednesday on several charges in connection with the standoff.
Harry Sprouse, 60, a postal worker, is in Douglas County Jail on $25,000 bail on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, resisting a public officer with force and discharging a firearm where others may be endangered.
Deputies were called to the Sprouse residence in the 3800 block of Topaz Ranch Road on Jan. 3. Sprouse reportedly came out of the residence carrying a 9 mm Browning automatic pistol and a Mossberg .410-gauge pump action shotgun.
Both weapons were loaded with rounds in the chambers.
Sprouse alternately took cover on the three-acre lot and came down the driveway waving the weapons. At one point, he fired a shot in the air and challenged deputies to shoot him.
He refused all orders to drop his weapons.
When Sprouse came within five feet of a group of deputies, Sgt. Joe Duffy rushed him and tackled him to the ground.
Sprouse was admitted to the Veterans Hospital in Reno for observation and returned to Douglas County Jail where he awaits a hearing Wednesday.
No one was injured in the incident.
